The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-12-06
THE NEW PRESIDENT OF FRANCE.
Public Record and Ancestry of the
Man Elected.
From the Neto York World.


From the Neto York World.
NJ. Marie Francois Sadi-Carnot, who has
been elected by the National Congress at
Versailles to succeed NJ. Jules Grevy as
President of the French republic, is CON
siderably younger than any of his three
predecessors, having been born in 1887 at
Limoges. The son and grandson of most
distinguished Republican statesmen, he was
brought up as a civil engineer, and gradu-
ated with the highest honors at the Ecole
Polytechnique in 1857, and subsequently,
at the famous Ecole DIES Points ct Chaussees
In 1868. After having acted as govern
ment engineer i'll several provincial dis
tricts, he was in 1871 appointed Project of
the Seine Department, which includes the
civil governorship of Paris and its suburbs.
and took prominent part in organizing
the national defense against the German
invaders. A few months later he was
elected by the Cote dor district to repre-
sent them in the National Assembly, aud
after taking his seat became the organizing
Secretary of the Republican Left party in
the Chamber. In 1876 he was elected by
the inhabitants of the district of Beaune to
represent their interests in Parliament.
In 1873 he was appointed Under Sec
rotary of State for the Ministry of Public
Works. In 1880 he became Minister of the
same department in the Cabinet of
NJ. Jules Ferry. On the resigna-
ton of the latter in 1885 he was
reappointed to the same Ministry in NJ.
Henri Brisson's Cabinet, and on the resig-
nation of NJ. Clamargerau a few months
later he succeeded him as Minister of
Finance, an office which he likewise held in
the Goblet Ministry He is what may be
termed a moderate Republican of the Ferry
and Freycinet type, whose training as
an engineer and a political economist
fits him in a quite particular manner for the
high Office to which he has been elected.
His nomination cannot fail to inspire conf
dence both at home and abroad, as it is uni
versally felt that he will not sanction any
measure lightly and without duly weighing
the consequences and that he will exercise
a moderating influence on the projects of
premature reform proposed by hght-headed
politicians.
Besides being one of the foremost civil
engineers of France, NJ. Sadi Carnot is a
distinguished political economist and
fervent admirer of the late John Stuart
Mill, of whose works he has published a
French translation. His skill in dealing
with intricate questions of national finance
resulted in his being repeatedly elected
member of the Parliamentary Budget Com
mittee.
The new President of the republic is one
of the few French statesmen of the present
udt WlOSS i'AoO hlSUOI1 10 dDSOluUelN uilliI-
peachable, and whose political and private
character is untarnshed by any Kind of
blemish. The most striking proof thereof
was given in the Wilson-Dreyfus scandal.
when NJ. Sadi-Carnot Notwithstanding all
the pressure brought to bear on him by
President Grevy ana his son-in-
law, absolutely declined to give
TO the illegal repayment by the
National Treasury Of certain dues which
had been paid by him to NJ. Dreyfus
Rather than give way he preferred to incur
the bitter ermity of the Elysee, which re-
suited in his being forced TO withdraw from
the Cabinet few weeks later and to make
way for a less conscientious Minister of
Finance In electing M. Sadi-Carnot to the
Presidency of the republic, the Senator's
and Deputies undoubtedly remembered this
rare instance of official integrity and deter
mined to give a new demonstration to the
ancient axiom that honesty is, after all, the
best policy.
His wife who is charming and most
talented woman, is the daughter of the late
NJ. Dupont hite, the distinguished polit-
ical economist and French prototype of
John Stuart Mill. Mime Sadi-Carnot is one
of the best read women in France, is an ex-
cellent linguist, dresses in perfect taste
and although elegant, is exceedingly quiet
and unassuming. She has four daughters,
of whom two are married
and have children, and one boy,
bright, English-looking lad of about
II. 1t is safe to predict that under the re-
fined and courteous regime of Nine Carnot
the atmosphere of the Palace of the Elysee,
which during President Grevy's period of
power degenerated into kind of fourth,rate
stock exchange, will undergo a considerable
change for the better
The new President himself is very silent
man, of grave demeanor, a rather long face
and pronounced aquiline nose. Although
his stature is not above tine average height,
his figure is well set together.
His father, who was Minister of Public
Instruction in the Republican government
of lS4S, and who, together with Gen
Cavaignac, refused to take the oath of
allegiance to Napoleon Ill in 1851, was one
Of the most popular statesmen and dis
tuguished scientists and authors in France
The name of the new Presidents grand
father also figures prominently III French
history as one Of the leading members of
the convention iii the great revolution of